UK trade envoy visits South Africa

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The Rt Hon Baroness Scotland, British Prime Minister David Cameron's trade envoy for South Africa, Baroness Patricia Scotland is visiting South Africa from 2-7 March 2014.

The Rt Hon Baroness Scotland, British Prime Minister David Cameron’s trade envoy for South Africa, Baroness Patricia Scotland will visit South Africa from 2-7 March 2014.

Her visit will focus on trade and investment opportunities in the science and innovation, engineering and education sectors. Baroness Scotland will be accompanied by a delegation of ten engineering and education organisations specialising in advanced manufacturing and business education. The objective of the mission is to reinforce the trading relationship between South Africa and the UK, to showcase UK excellence in engineering and education and to make direct links for companies with potential partners.

In addition, Baroness Scotland will explore challenges and opportunities for women in leadership positions, specifically in the supply chain. She will also use her visit to promote gender equality and support for the fight against Gender-Based Violence.

Baroness Scotland will meet Dan Thompson who is currently undertaking a challenge – ‘Run the World’ – to run 10 km in every country in the world. He is doing the challenge to promote the benefits of sport and physical activity and to raise money for Cancer Research.

Speaking ahead of the trip, Baroness Scotland said:

“I am delighted to be back in South Africa and to be bringing with me a group of British businesses from the advanced engineering and education sectors.

The range of goods and services provided by these companies will allow us to showcase British excellence in both sectors:

Whilst I am here, I am glad of the opportunity to build in some wider promotion of our education and training offering to help increase skills and employability in South Africa. I’m delighted to be able to join the debate on gender equality here, and celebrate international women’s day with the wonderful women in SA.

I am also pleased to be able to follow up on the opportunities presented through the Newton Fund, where we will partner with South Africa to develop scientific capacity for long term sustainable growth. Our government has committed to contributing a minimum of £4m per year for five years from 2014/15, and we look forward to a similar commitment from the South African government and to jointly working to promoting research and broader scientific capacity building.”

For further information or expressions of interest please contact:
Isabel Potgieter
Spokesperson

+27 (0)83 391 1606
Isabel.Potgieter@fco.gov.uk

Notes for Editors:

The Rt Hon Baroness Scotland QC
Baroness Scotland was born in the Commonwealth of Dominica. She is a British barrister making history in 1991 by becoming the first black woman to be appointed a Queen’s Counsel and was a member of the Commission for Racial Equality. She received a life peerage on a Labour Party list of working peers in 1997. In 2007 Baroness Scotland was appointed Attorney General by Prime Minister Gordon Brown. As Attorney General she was the chief legal adviser to: Her Majesty the Queen, Parliament and the Government. She was the first woman to hold the office since its foundation in 1315.
In November 2012, she was appointed Prime Ministerial Trade Envoy to South Africa she visited most recently for the bilateral forum in September 2013.

Events in Gauteng include meetings with senior business leaders, the Gauteng Growth & Development Agency, a speaking engagement at the University of Johannesburg, a Business Engage event to mark International Women’s day and an Education roundtable.

Events in Cape Town will include meetings with senior business contacts and a panel discussion on Gender Based Violence along with The Honourable Ms Lulu Xingwana, Minister for Women, Children and People with Disabilities, Ms Elizabeth Petersen, Director of SA Faith and Family Institute and Professor Dee Smythe from the University of Cape Town.

For information on the accompanying trade mission, please visit http://www.ukti.gov.uk/export/unitedkingdom/eastofengland/event/634720.html

Dan Thompson will be running in a total of 204 countries by the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo and is visiting Johannesburg March 4 for his 13th run. Gold Challenge